Electric-circuit-changing mechanism.



F. B. HALL;

ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CHANGING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30,1909.

978,879. I Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

5/ 9 g E Q Q "I" B k F /7 M g m 25 A. E 0 5 57 MW 6554 as WIIHESSES Invafilfir M74 L FranK Hall I AHEHS upon the UNITED srAirES Pr-ftIENT OFFICE.

FRANK 'B. HALL, OF WHEELI'NG, WEST VIRGINIA.

ELECTRIC-CIRCUIT-GHANGING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 20, 1910 Application filed lune 3D, 1909. Serial No. 505,139.

, To a lt'who m it may concern:

:Be it known that I, -FR;\NK B. HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vheelmg, in the county of Ohio and State of \Vcsthirginia, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementin Llectric- Circuit-Changing Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear. concise, and exact description, reference being. had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to electric circuit changing mechanism, and is directed partic *ularly toward the provision of a-device of' that class which may well be termed a lock 'SWitClL tlHlt is, a switch operative only upon the employment of a particular key.

lVIy invention is particularly applicable to any circuit arrangement. which is likely to' be exposed to the hands of mischievous persons attempting to tamper or meddle with the same, and I therefore contemplate its use particularly in the sparking circuitof a combustion engine in automobiles and similar places.

The deyicemonsists broadly of av lock,

which has switching mechanism associated therewith vin such away that actuation of the lock will result in the operation of the switching mechanism.

My invention is illust 'ated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view thereof; Fig. 2 1s a sectional View on the plane 2, 9 of Fig.

1; Fig. 2-3, is a sectional View on the plane 3, 3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. his a detail sectional view on the plane 41, at of Fig. L

The mechanism is inclosed in a suitable casing 5, which is arranged to receive the insulating block 6 secured therein by means of bolts 7, 7, or in any other desirable manner. This insulating block 6 carries the yarious contacts as .will be described. The

casing is provided with a suitable cover 8, under side of which is secured, by means of screws 9, 9, the-barrel lO of a lock of that. type which comprises a stationary element, a rotary element and code mechanism in the form of wards or tumblers, as v is well known in the art. The particular construction of the lock is not concerned in thls invention, and 1s therefore not shown ably spaced, as shown in Fig. 0.

ing two plates," as

in detail. The rotary element of the lock is shown at 11, and extends upwardly through the cover 8. 'To the lower end of the rotary element 11 a shaft 12 is secured which shaft carries the movable element of rotary switching mechanism, as shown inithe drawings. The shaft 12 is suitably-terminoted in a metal bushing 13 sunk in the in snlating block 6, and has rigidly secured thereon a collar 1st, upon which the movable contact element 15 is mounted. This contact element is comprised of contact leaves extending in diametrically opposite directions for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

Mounted upon the insulating block 6, by

means of the bolts ,16 and 17, are the contact members 18 and 19, respectively, thesecontact members each comprising a pair of plates terminating in; contact springs 20 and 2.1, respectively, the plates of each member being slightly separated, as clearly shown in Fig. '4, to receive the rotating element 15 'therebetween. The spring contacts 20 and 21 extend over a recess 22 in the insulating block, this recess being of such diameter as to accommodate the leaf 15 of the rotat' ing element 15, this leaf being offset downwardly into the recess, as clearly shown in Fig. at. The spring contact members 20 andQl and the leaf 15 of the rotating element 15 lie in the same plane, and it is apparent that rotation of the element 15 may bring the leaf 15 into contact either with the contact spring 20 or the spring 2L, which are suit- The insulating block (3 is provided with a depiession 23, in which depression is seinsulating block, I-have' shown the contact the contact member' 26 being.

rotating cylinder It is normally spring be of approximately a quadrant, thus allowing about ninety degrees between the two bridging positions of the rotating element. It is apparent, since the contacts 90 and 21 and the contact 96 he in ditl'erent planes, that the leaf 15 of the rotating element can never come into contact with the Contact 20, nor can the lent 15" come into contact with either of the contacts 20 or 21. It is thus apparent that the rotating element will, in the greater part 0t 'ts rotation, escape all contacts, and no bridging will result. The contact incur bars 18, 15) and 24: are each provided with a binding post 27, to which the circuit wires entering the casing through the aperture 28 may be respectively secured. The opening 28 is provided with the bushing 29, for the purposes of proper protection and insulation.

The cover 8 is provided with the annular projection 30, upon which is secured by means of screws 31 passing therethrough and into the casing an auxiliary cover 32, this cover having a central opening 33 through which the rotating cylinder 11 of the lock may extend. The usual key slot in the rotating cylinder is shown 'at 3%. Between the two covers, the rotating cylinder 11 has secured thereon the indicator 35, which extends radially and terminates in a pointer 36 passing under a semi-circular slot 37 in the auxiliary cover 32. This slot may be provided with a sheet 380i glass or other transparent material, for the purposes of protection, which may be held in place in any suitable manner. A dial may be provided beneath the pointer 36, to indicate the circuit condition at the'diflerent posi tionsht the pointer.

A In'sparking circuits for explosive engines, in is desirable to provide means for switching into circuiteither a battery or a magneto, the battery being usually employed in starting the engine. In Fig. 3, I have illustrated diagrannnatically a suitable circuit arrangement, wherein a'battery 39 is connected with thebinding post of the contact member 19, while a magneto 40 is connected with the binding post of the contact member 18, the contact member 2% being grounded to correspond to the grounding of the sparking circuit connected with the lead *1. The absolutely locked to the barrel l0, and when in this positidn the pointer indicates the off position on the dial. The insertion of a key in the cylinder has the usual eii'ect of releasing the same trim the stationary barrel, and the rotating cylinder is free to be rotated by the movement of the key. This rotation may operate the rotary switch to bring the bridging element into contact with either the contacts 20 or 21 and with the contact erases 26, each position being indicated on the dial a oil position, and thelock may be such that:

the key cannot be extracted until the switch has been returned to its oil' position. The bridging element being, in the greater part of its rotation, out of contact with any of the contact members, an additional opening 42 may be provided to show the position of the pointer.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Lettersihitent:

i. In an electric circuit changing mechaii in, in combination, a lock comprising a suitiomiry element and a rotatable element normally locked thereto, a stationary contact in one plane and a stationary contact in another plane, and a contact member carried by said rotatable element, said contact member having a part in each of said planes for engagement with the respective stationary contact, and an indicator carried by said movable element for indicating the position of said rotatable element. v

2. In an electric circuit changing mechanism, in combination, a lock comprising. a

stationary element, a rotatable element nor mally locked thereto, a stationary contact in one plane and a stationary contact in another plane, and a bridge member carried by said rotatable element, said bridge member having a part in each of said planes to engage the respective stationary contact.

3. In an electric circuit changing mechanism, in combination, a lock comprising a stationary element, a rotatable element normally locked thereto, a switch contact meniher having a part in each of two planes carried by said rotatable element, two stat1onmy contact members with which one part of said rotatable contact member may engage, and a third stationary contactmember with which the other part of said rotatable member may engage simultaneously with the engagement of the first part with either one of the other two.

4-. In an electric circuit changing mechanism, in con'ibination, acasing, switch contacts mounted in said casing, a cover for said casing, a lock having a stationary element secured to said cover, a rotatable element for said lock extending through said cover, a contact piece carried by said movable element and arranged for engagementwith said stationary contacts, a pointer secured to said movable clement above said cover, a dial disposed beneath said pointer, and an auxiliary cover above said pointer having an opening through which a key may be inserted and an opening to disclose said dial.

5. In an electric circuit changing mecha nism, in combination, a casing, an insulat stationary and arranged for engagement with said stationary contacts. 10 Inwvitness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 19th day of June, A. D. 1909.

FRANK B. HALL.

ing base mounted at the bottomcf said casing. switch contacts mounted on said base in two different planes, a cover ,for said casing, a lock having a stationary element se- 5 cured to said cover, a rotatable clement for 1 said lock extending through said cover, and Vitnesses I a Contact piece having a part in each of LEONARD NOVANDER, said planes carried by said movable element ARTI-IUR'H. BOIJTTCHER. 

